LANDOVER — Fans are back at FedEx Field.
And, like before, they won’t be all cheering for the home team.
Washington allowed up to 3,000 fans for Sunday’s game against the New York Giants — and throughout the stadium, there were swaths of New York fans donning blue and white to rep the Giants.
With his family decked out in Giants jerseys and wearing face masks, Manny Lopez, 38, drove three hours from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to see his favorite team in person. Alongside him were his teenage son and daughter, and his son’s girlfriend. Sitting in section 114, Lopez said he purchased each ticket for $150 on the NFL’s ticket exchange website.
Fans had previously been banned due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We were just looking, it doesn’t look like we’re going to have fans in New Jersey any time soon, and this was one of the closest possibilities to get a game,” Lopez said.
Lopez is well aware of FedEx Field’s reputation for being overrun with opposing fans. Sunday marked his third game at the stadium. The first two, he said, were there big groups of Giant supporters.
“I guess with how many seats there are and how bad the team has been lately, that’s why it’s been so easy to get tickets,” Lopez said.
Washington started to allow fans starting this week after receiving clearance from local officials. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan eased coronavirus restrictions last month to permit up to 10% of fans into stadiums, though Washington chose not to fill it to that capacity.
In its press release, the team said the event would be limited to its season-ticket holders. “We are thrilled to host some of our Season Ticket Members at the Giants game on Nov. 8 and hope to welcome more fans through the FedExField gates in the near future,” president Jason Wright said in a statement.
But that didn’t stop Giants fans from getting their hands on tickets. Irvin Henderson, a 66-year-old Virginia resident and lifelong Giants fan, said he received a pair from his friend who is a season-ticket holder.
Henderson, wearing an Eli Manning jersey, said Sunday is the first time in his life he’ll get to see the Giants in person.
“It means the world to me,” Henderson said. “It’s almost like it’s one thing on a bucket list.”
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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